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Choosing the Wrong Funeral Home Could Prove to be Costly

As a Funeral Director, I try to be a caring and compassionate individual. In this profession, you come to realize there is more to life than money. Money is only a tool to help us through life’s daily steps. When you think about it, everything in life is on lease. Nothing really belongs to us. With that said, I believe the best memories you leave behind are those made with family, friends and loved ones. My passion as a Funeral Director is helping to carry a family through the most difficult time; the loss of a loved one. I’m honored to be able to do so in an honest and dignified manner. I truly believe that helping a family is a blessing and a gift.

Let me provide you with a bit of eye-opening insight into the funeral business. First off, many funeral homes/chapels/ alternatives will hire aggressive, well trained professional salespeople whose main goal is to sell you everything and anything they can. They are high paid commissioned sales staff. These people take detailed courses on how to get into your mind and pocket, using your vulnerability for their maximum profit.

Here is what you need to know. Do not fall for sales gimmicks. For example, why purchase an expensive casket for cremation? This is not required nor mandatory. At Voyage, we provide a basic cardboard container for the cremation process and that is all that is required for cremation to be complete. Do not be misguided in lies such as the cardboard cremation container will fall apart and will not hold your loved one’s weight. Also, did you know that it is not mandatory to purchase an urn? At Voyage, it is your choice to purchase an urn or bring something that is of sentimental value to your family.

A new tactic in the funeral industry is informing families that it is mandatory to do an identification viewing prior to cremation. This is another gimmick that will prove to be extremely costly. You will be asked to purchase a casket for this viewing. They will also tell you the body must be embalmed, dressed and cosmetics be applied. You may be charged for vehicles that are not needed or required. Cremation with identification viewing could cost you up to $5500.00. At Voyage, a Simple Cremation is $1600.00 including the cardboard cremation casket. No gimmicks. Unfortunately, some funeral homes will tell you that removing a pacemaker is a surgical procedure and charge a fee up to $500.00. At Voyage, no charges are applied for this very simple procedure. Another cash grab is an extra charge for cremating your loved one if they are over 140 pounds. This is ludicrous. At Voyage, there is no charge related to a person’s weight or size.

Never commit or allow your loved one’s body to be released from the place of death until you have everything in writing detailing your final costs, or until you are satisfied with the arrangement decisions you have made. This will avoid a bad situation becoming worse. If at any time during arrangements you are feeling uncomfortable or feel like you are being taken advantage of by a Funeral Home, you have every right to walk away. My advice to you is to do your research. Once you are satisfied with the cost options you have been provided and feel comfortable, then allow your loved one to be released into the funeral home’s care. Do not make a commitment until you are satisfied with the funeral home you have chosen.

To avoid being taken advantage of at your time of need, I suggest pre-planning your final arrangements. This provides peace of mind to you and your family, knowing that all of your final wishes will be followed. When you are preplanned, all of your requests are documented. Then at the time of passing, it is merely a simple phone call to Voyage and we will follow through with your requests.

Not all people are prepared to pre-plan their funeral financially. We have a solution. Voyage offers a payment plan through Assurant Life of Canada. You can make payments that are affordable to your situation. We also offer a joint-first-to-go option for spouses. This means that both names would be on a policy and the first person who passes would have their arrangement covered. We want you to feel comfortable knowing that your money is 100% safe. We purchase an insurance policy under your name, at the price of your pre-plan. In doing so, the policy is yours and only becomes available to the funeral home at the time of your passing. If for any reason you move to another city or province, this policy is transferable to the funeral home of your choice. To learn more or to pre-plan your arrangements you may contact Lisa, our non-commissioned pre-plan specialist, to help work with you to find a solution.

EXPERIENCE THE VOYAGE DIFFERENCE

 

Our vision incorporates tradition, compassion, cultural sensitivity and cost options to meet the needs of every family. We truly do believe in treating your loved one as we would our own. Voyage, established in 1998, is a family-owned and operated funeral home. We lead the funeral profession by setting examples in using the best practices as possible. We will continue to make a difference and set higher standards with dedication and eternal commitment to the families we serve. We take pride in families knowing your loved one is in our care 100% of the time. They are treated with respect, dignity and compassion.

As a funeral director, I cannot take death away nor can I take away the pain. I do however have empathy and will do my utmost best to carry your family through the most difficult experiences caused by death. I promise to be honest, loving, caring, understanding and most of all have the greatest compassion, respect and dignity for your family, regardless of your situation.

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